28 March 2011

Mutual Aide & Regulators Part #1

compiled by Teresa Martin Klaiber

March 2011

"The Kentucky Regulators. Catlettsburg, Ky., May 28 - For some time there have been fears of a collision in Carter County between the Militia and the Regulators, and the Governor has, in consequence, ordered troops to be ready to march to assist the officers of the company in enforcing the laws. To-day 200 Regulators gave themselves up and gave the names of 800 of their number and they will be presented to the Grand Jury for indictment. The troops will not now be needed. The Regulators have had an organization ostensibly for driving dangerous and worthless members of the community out of the country, and have used summary process in many cases." [NY Times 29 May 1880]

The Regulators and members of the Mutual Aide and Mutual Protection Society were farmers and neighbors known in church throughout our counties. Most likely one or more were your ancestors. They did not see themselves as vigilantes but felt they were protecting their family, homes, farms and community.

The Mutual Protection Society of the United States was a recognized organization. They had ritual booklets similar to other secret organizations. To become a member a person was recommended by two. When installed they swore that they were joining on their "own free will and accord." When a society member died in good standing and with advice of five members and the consent of the friends of the deceased they were buried with the honors of the society. The burial procession included an honorable member carrying the Holy Bible, suspended by a strip of red, white and blue.

Subordinate societies were encouraged. The person who organized same was to be "...sober, intelligent, discreet man, a good reader and should write a legible hand. He should have a thorough knowledge of the secret and ritual work..." [Mutual Protection Society of the United States of America, Cincinnati, University of Kentucky Archives]

The American Mutual Aide Society governed under the laws of Kentucky and in April 1886 was authorized to issue certificates to pay members sums of money after reaching certain agreed ages in the form of endowments. [Laws of KY Chapter 862, April 1886] The society was doing well as late as 1899 in our area according to an article posted by Glen Haney. The article calls the group "The Mules." In 1899 eighty-three lodges met at Denton in Carter County. Among those officers elected that day was N. A. Klaiber as Grand Consul.

Nelson A. Klaiber was born 24 September 1861 as the Civil War found its way across the country. When he died 28 September 1903 his tombstone included his membership in the K. G. E. Knights of the Golden Eagle. Founded in 1873 the K.G. E. accepted "white males of good moral character free of physical or mental defect." It was "organized into ...the Masonic." His stone also bears other organizations: S. C. G. and M. P. S. Nelson never married and lived on Long Branch Boyd County, the son of John Andrew and Mary Ann McBrayer Klaiber.

So I danced with glee and excitement when Charlotte Lambert Mosley donated an original ledger of the Mutual Protection Society for Boyd County, Kentucky to our library. Charlotte found the ledger in her Koun's ancestor old desk that had been in a home at Mavity in our county. The original ledger is now archived in the genealogy room of the Boyd County Library.

Several years ago Charlotte gave me permission to extract and annotate the ledger. To this end I now share extractions that are a window into the counties residents. I have left spelling as handwritten in the ledger. There are several pages prior to page #1with later scratchings and remarks. Extractor comments will be in brackets [ ].

[Of the above, Edward Davis was born 4 April 1847, son of William and Elizabeth McCorskey Davis. He married 21 December 1868 in Boyd County to Emily Rucker the daughter of Bazel and America McGuyre Rucker.

W. L. Clay was Wyatt L. Clay born 1 November 1845 son of Charles and Caroline Stover Clay. He married Sara Ann Stanley the daughter of James R. and Sarah McGuire Stanley.]

Page #1. Trace School House. Boyd Co., Ky Jan. 16, 1886. At a regular meeting of the Mutual Protection Society held at Trace School House January 16, 1886. The order was called to business by J. H. Esthem [Eastham] president...present Frank Kirkpatrick recording secetary. W. T. Warman finance secretary. J. H. Esthem Trasure. James Libies [probably Leibee] and Edward Davis was inducted....An order was drawn on the trasure to pay P. Sexton [Powell Sexton] for servises as janitor...Moved and second that John C. Hogan and Bird Elswick be expeld from the order if not a reasonable excuse with in a month...

Page #2. John Higgens, J. H. Estham, John Clay, report of cometies. W. T. Hood, Wm. C. ? on Charles Heneker report favorable. Charles Heneker was...elected a member of this order...Moved that Frank Chapman petition lay on the table...moved that . T. P. Stewart, John Hogan, Bud Elswick, James Kener [Kenner] be suspended from this order...moved that W. T. Warman notify James McGlothin to meet the order at next meeting in March...

Page #3. March 13, 1886. T. P. Stewart was restored and elected a member of the order...John M. Clay became a member of the order...F. M. Chaffins became a member of this order paid for self and .50 for two horses...Charles Higgens paid for self and 2 horses..Nelson Kliber [Klaiber] was duly elected a member. [Other names mentioned on page are:] Henry Stewart, F. M. Chaffins, Jessie Childers, James Libies... [Each member paid for the protection of selves and especially their horses at .25 each.]

Page #4. April 17, 1886....met at Trace School House...Jessie Childers was duley elected a member, Charles Higgins was duley elected a member...paid J. H. Estham for horse and mule and two buggies to convey Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey to jail also 1 day bord each...paid John Rucker for bording Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey...paid ...W. T. Warman as gard... [Sherman Lucas was the son of Henry Kane and Lucinda Sexton Lucas.]...Pasall Sexton was to show cause why he harbored Sherman Lucas and Joel Ramsey. [Pascal Sexton 1843-1910 married Jemima Lucas daughter of Parker and Susannah Fraley Lucas. Jemima was Sherman Lucas' great aunt.]

Page #5. May 15, 1886...John Griffith petition favourable and ...duley elected a member...The comittie on Kirk Lucas petition was not favourable. Jessie Childers was duley elected as a member...Pasell Sexton reported and give sadesfaction to the order...moved and second ...order would pay all expenses in prosecuting James Hunley and bring him to justice...

Page #12 June 4, 1887///John A. Kliber [Klaiber] was duley elected members of this order...Klaiber paid for self and 2 horses. James Higgens paid self and one horse....W. B. Mowery, Henry Mowery, William Howell and Isaac Fannin was elected...George Hanley and John D. Mayhew was elected... [John Andrew Klaiber was born 20 Oct 1831 Hausen Ob Verena, Tuttlingen, Wurttemburg, Germany. John D. Mayhew born October 1856 was the son of William C. and Mary Elizabeth Ross Mayhew.]

Page #13. Culbertson, KY. April 9...1887...J. C. Estham [Eastham] ...J. H. Poage ...to arest a ? and theft ...at J. H. Poages Mill on Bare [Bear] Creek Ky on the nite of April 8. It is moved and second that the said scioty meet at 7:00 pm at J. H. Poages Mill to serch ...and to see if we can find out the guilty party ...[ the next entry in different ink]Andrew Burchett was found guilty and confesses guilty and was handed over to the debty sheriff of Boyd Co. to answer to the cort of Boyd Co.

page #14 ...Isaac Fannin was duley elected a member of this order and paid for self and one horse. William Cal[d]well was elected and paid for self and 2 horses. James Kin[n]er, L. D. Sexton, William D. Ross reported...B. F. Freman was rejected. James Kin[n]er was rejected. L. D. [Lorenzo Dow] Sexton was rejected. William D. Ross was elected. Anderson Fields was elected, George Stanley was rejected. James Surries was rejected. John Runyan was rejected....It was moved that this ...be removed to the Davis School House and carried...

Page #15. Davis School House August 27th, 1887...President John H. Eastham, C. L. Williams was appointed secy; David Murphy financial secretary, John R. Davis Treasurer.

The Petition of L. T. Hood was received and the following committee appointed: C. L. Williams, Lon Nunley, Henry White Sr. The petition of Fred Nierman was received and the following committee was appointed: Anson Pope, George Fields, V. O. Davis. The report of the committee on the petition of W. H. Banfield made a favorable report and on motion ...was received...duly elected a member...on suggestion of C. H. Kouns the committee on the petition of Wm. Lambert was directed to make an immediate report...favorable...duly elected...petition of Isom Hogan...favorable...and the ballott was spread and when collected ...duly rejected.

Mr. L. J. Stewart [Landon J. Stewart] notified the society that Abe Prichard and R. A. Prichard was no longer owners in the store on Garner but that owners S. D. Finley and Dr. A. Prichard now in store owned the entire store.

Page #16. Dr. Hood reported that he only owned 1 horse at this time and now desires to be assessed accordingly. On motion of W. L. Clay was ordered to make a ballot box and to paint one end or one half of outside of said box white and the other black...

Page #17. Davis School House Oct. 1, 1887... Bro. C. L. Williams President pro tem. N. A. Klaiber was apointed secy pro tem. C. H. Kouns treasurer pro tem....petition of Wm. V. Sexton was received ...petition of Henry Adkins...Wm. Lambert took the obligation of this order and was duly initiated in the secrets of the order...T. L. Hood ...duly elected...Fred Nearman ...duly elected. Geo. Ross was apointed to investigate the law concerning the payment of guards by the state in the McGlothin case.

Page #18. ...motion...L. J. Stewart it was decided that this order meet at Grassland Church on Bear Creek for the purpose of considering the propriety of revising the constitution and by-laws of this order...

Page #23. ...Motion the chairman apointed a committee to see the Circuit Judge to get an order to the C. C. Clerk of Boyd County for the return of jewelry belonging to Dave Fuller and flannel belonging to Gaylord Norton taken by George Taylor. Committee Wm. Davis, J. J. Kouns and A. F. White.

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Teresa Martin Klaiber

Welcome to The Eastern Kentucky Genealogy Blog. As research crosses my desk, here in Eastern Kentucky, there are many times I wish I could share a tidbit with other researchers and share memories with my family. The excitement of a new discovery needs to be shared. Questions need answered. Come back to the blog often as I intend to highlight research and families in our area.